Reviews by match1112:

More User Reviews:

Poured into a standard pint a rich clear amber/bronze with a two finger sticky slightly off white crown atop that never completely settles ,a thick frothy mass is left.Sharp piney hops come out well after the pour along with underlying biscuit malt,the hop aromas did fade quite a bit after the pour but after a good swirl they come out.Pretty dry on the palate except for a small amount of brown sugar flavor,the hops are not nearly as big as in the nose but they meld with the crisp dryer slightly roasted malt base.It's got some good things going on,it's not an overly complex or a "wowing" beer but it's not bad.

Taste: Malt body of caramel, toffee, chocolate and even some light coffee. Definitely more roasted than expected. Nice hop counterbalance of orange and grapefruit. Finish has some light spice and pine notes, but is just slightly bitter. Slight Fat Tire taste, which is the only issue I have.

Feel: Moderate carbonation, medium body, mostly dry finish.

Overall: Nicely balanced ale that straddles the line between a Red Ale and a Black Ale. I like this a lot better than the previous standard Hoptober.

Taste: A nice combination of hops and toasted caramel malts. Fresh earthy hops abound with lots of grass. Some herbal hops and a quite noticeable taste of spicy pine resin. Some citrus esters are also in the mix with some notes of orange, grapefruit, and tangerine. A nice bready sweetness follows from the malts. Notes of toasted caramel, toffee, toasted bread, grains, and biscuit. Also some roasty undertones with some mild notes of chocolate and coffee. Solid balance between bitterness and sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Smooth, spicy, and somewhat chewy. Has a drying finish.

Overall: A pretty nice hopped up red ale. Ripe mix of hops with a good taste of caramel and subtle roast.

Reddish brown appearance, small head, beige, only 1/4" but the beer's carbonation was just fine, I happened to really like the color. Aroma, pretty mild, there's some malt huskiness to it, but nothing too aromatic, especially for having the name hoptober, the hop aroma was far from being forward.

The taste does yield more evidence of hops, but they are still playing second fiddle, but its done the right way. Immediately makes me think this is just as much winter warmer as it is an amber ale. Robust malt, but a carbonation and hop bitterness that doesn't bog down the palate into malt bomb territory. Sweet caramel leads. Definitely fits the bill as a beer for the fall and/or October.

Its actually probably best described as what you might get if you blended Fat Tire with Jubelale.